Could you please present your professional background?
I started my professional career a year ago, after finishing my degree in Political Science and International Relations in Italy. I then enrolled in an online Italian school so that I could move to wherever I wanted. So I moved to Paris, where I worked as an au-pair for 3 months, but it didn't suit me because I needed more autonomy and independence in my work.
After that, I worked as a multi-skilled saleswoman for the company Eataly Paris Marais, an Italian restaurant chain. Sometimes I had to sell, and other times I just had to check the products and make sure they were good. I stopped after 6 months because I found the rhythm quite complicated with my studies.
After this job, I was hired by Maison Valentino as a receptionist to welcome VIP clients, either directly on the premises or by telephone. I received about fifteen calls a day from clients who were making haute couture appointments or with the press, but I also had to keep track of what was coming in and going out, track packages and do internal company communication. I only worked there for 2 months because I needed a more challenging job.
How long have you been in France for?
I have been in France for over a year now.
How did you hear about MisterBilingue?
Last year, before I left Italy, I had already started looking for jobs. With Italian as my native language, it was easy for me to use it to find what I wanted.
I was looking for bilingual jobs, but as I was just leaving school, it was quite difficult for me to find something that matched my profile at that time.
After my last experience, I started looking for jobs on MisterBilingue again and was finally contacted for the position I am currently in.
Did you encounter any difficulties in your job search? If so, which ones?
It was not difficult to find a job in the sense that I could apply anywhere I wanted. But I was looking for a job with various criteria that I already had in mind.
As I had more experience than a year ago, I could afford to turn down offers to wait for a job that really suited me. I didn't want to join a company and then leave it right after.
What skills have you acquired during your career that you feel are essential for your current position?
The multi-skilled sales position I held allowed me to be comfortable with customers as it was a continuous exchange with them, and the rushes also helped me to deal with the pressure. In general, I was able to develop my interpersonal skills thanks to my previous experiences.
Do you have any advice on how to integrate into a new company in France?
I think that being serious and willing to commit is essential. You have to want to work because it's something that you can see directly. That's why the manager trusts you directly. You have to be very organised, be on the ball from the start and be punctual. You have to be prepared to think about everything in advance.
What is the French word that you find most difficult to pronounce?
I sometimes make mistakes with the gender of a word. I sometimes say "un erreur" instead of "une erreur" because the word is masculine in Italian. Since the gender of some words changes from Italian to French and vice versa, I make this mistake from time to time.
What is your favourite French tradition?
I love sitting in a café chatting over breakfast or a drink, no matter what the time.
If we talk about food, I love fromage de chèvre. I learned to eat it in France, it is not something that you can find everywhere in Italy.
An aspect of French culture that you hate? One you love?
What I don't like is that some people may have prejudices.
On the other hand, what I do like is the fact that it is very integrated with other cultures. Also, in my experiences with customers, I noticed that most of them like to talk and exchange, and this is something that reminds me a lot of Italy.
Author
Albert
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